Weekend Edition Saturday

Schedule

88.5-1

Saturday

8:00 am

From civil wars in Bosnia and El Salvador, to hospital rooms, police stations, and America's backyards, National Public Radio's Peabody Award-winning correspondent Scott Simon brings a well-traveled perspective to his role as host of Weekend Edition Saturday.

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Mathematician Chris McKinlay wasn't having any luck finding love, so he used an algorithm to crack the dating website OkCupid. After a mountain of data mining and more than 80 first dates, he finally met his fiancée.

Long-term unemployment is one of America's most pressing problems, with 4 million people out of work for six months or more. That number has remained stubbornly high, even as the overall unemployment rate has fallen. President Obama met with business leaders at the White House on Friday and urged them not to overlook qualified job applicants just because they've been out of work for a while.

The Keystone XL oil pipeline proposal cleared a significant hurdle Friday. The State Department concluded the project would not significantly worsen the problem of climate change. The decision has angered environmentalists, who don't want the project to go through.

When Nicole Atkins sings, she sounds like Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline and Janis Joplin all rolled into one voice. Atkins talks with NPR's Scott Simon about her new self-published album, Slow Phaser, which was funded by fans.

The song "Alone Yet Not Alone" had been nominated for Best Original Song at this year's Oscars. Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter tells NPR's Scott Simon why the Academy rescinded the nomination.

Egyptian Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi rose to power swiftly after the Arab Spring ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak. Al-Sisi, who is the head of Egypt's military, appears to be next in line for the presidency. Middle East expert Samer Shehata tells NPR's Scott Simon that Egyptians find another military leader reassuring, but his election wouldn't bode well for democracy.

Mikko Hypponen is a "white hat" hacker in Finland who breaks into security systems to test network safety. Hypponen tells NPR's Guy Raz of the TED Radio Hour that Americans may be protected under NSA reforms, but foreigners like himself aren't.

A year ago, House Speaker John Boehner used a Republican retreat to make peace with the Tea Party caucus. This week's retreat saw Boehner bring up for discussion two divisive issues — the debt ceiling and immigration — with much more self-assurance. Political correspondent David Welna joins NPR's Scott Simon to explain the transformation.

The British royal family is in financial trouble, according to a report by members of the British Parliament. Castles are crumbling and the family is down to its last million in reserves. NPR's Scott Simon speaks with London correspondent Ari Shapiro about ways in which the royals could bring in more money.

Renee Fleming will sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl on Sunday in New Jersey. She is the first opera star to be asked. NPR's Scott Simon remembers how Fleming has performed under pressure many times, including when she sang "Amazing Grace" at the ruins of the World Trade Center after 9/11.

This weekend is all about Sunday's Super Bowl matchup between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks. NPR's Tom Goldman joins Scott Simon to talk about the history of the game, and the one key factoid that predicts Sunday's winner that no one has mentioned yet.

Friday, January 31, 2014

The oil rush in and around North Dakota has brought an influx of mostly male workers flush with cash. Law enforcement agencies and activists say that's creating ample opportunity for organized crime — and that more must be done to prevent women from being forced into prostitution.

Ursula von der Leyen is the first woman to hold the job. She has no military experience and is best known for social policies such as expanded parental leave. But she has already said that Germany should play a more active role in foreign missions, and that could involve sending troops into conflict zones.

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